and tonight, a city is on the edge. abc's david wright is there. david? >> reporter: good evening, diane. tonight, police officers across this whole region feel they are under attack. police headquarters here on lockdown. every entrance, every exit, heavily guarded. the entire police force in america's second largest city, essentially held hostage to one man who is allegedly bent on revenge. tonight, by air, land and sea, an all-out manhunt. the suspect, one of their own. 33-year-old christopher dorner. a former lapd officer, now an alleged cop killer. police say he isn't just targeting cops, but their families, too. >> this has gone far enough. you know, nobody else needs to die. >> reporter: the killing spree started sunday in orange county, with the baffling double murder of a popular college basketball coach and her fiance. monica quan and keith laurence, shot in cold blood as they sat in their car.

only last night did authorities put two and two together. quan is the daughter of retired lapd captain randy quan, who was instrumental in getting christopher dorner fired. in a rambling manifesto posted online, dorner blames quan and other lapd officers of a smear campaign, after dorner reported witnessing a fellow officer commit police brutality. the manifesto vows vengeance. "i will bring unconventional and asymmetrical warfare to those in lapd uniform whether on or off duty." early this morning, that appeared to be no idle threat. 1:25 a.m., corona, an hour east of l.a. police officers acting on a tip exchanged gunfire with a man believed to be dorner. the officer, grazed by the bullet, unable to pursue. 1:45, riverside. two more officers on a protective detail ambushed. one killed, the other seriously injured. >> officer shot, multiple times!

>> reporter: by sunrise, jittery police opened fire on this blue trick, similar to the suspect's. bum the people inside were just innocent bystanders. police are now closing ranks, protecting themselves. >> the los angeles police department and our allied law enforcement agencies are implementing all measures possible to ensure the safety of our lapd personnel, their families and the los angeles community. >> reporter: tonight, acnn's anderson cooper showed viewers a package he received from dorner. >> a yellow post-it note reading, in part, i never lied, in reference to his dismissal in 2008. late today, police spotted this truck, burning in the mountains northeast of l.a. it has now been confirmed that that was, indeed, the suspect's vehicle. but it has also been confirmed that the suspect was not inside. he appears to have fled, and, so, diane, the manhunt continues. >> all right, david, thank you. so, what else do we know about this man and what's behind that manifesto?

abc's nick watt with that. >> reporter: 33-year-old christopher dorner lives here in orange county with his mother. a forensic psychologist, who just read his manifesto, has a startling conclusion. dorner was never planning to return home. >> i think he wants to kill as many people as he can. >> reporter: and be killed? >> and then be killed. >> reporter: four years ago, he says, when he was fired by the lapd, he claimed a colleague kicked a detainee. the department disagreed. former chief bratton, who once met dorner, doesn't remember the case. >> believe me, the department goes through exhaustive efforts and there are multiple series of trials and reviews before an officer would be discharged. >> reporter: "no one grows up and wants to be a cop killer," wrote dorner. "it was against everything i ever was." in his sometimes rambling 6,000-word statement, dorner says he wants to clear his name and expose corruption. >> he is narcissistic.

he is grandiose. >> reporter: that is a personality disorder. but based on this manifesto, dr. askins does not believe dorner is insane. >> he knows what he's doing. >> reporter: but why now? dorner was honorably discharged from the u.s. navy reserves just last friday after ten years service, including a tour in the persian gulf. was that the trigger for this killing spree? or evidence of careful planning? >> i have more questions than i do have answers at this point. >> reporter: if dorner gets his apparent wish, if he is killed, we night never know the whole truth. nick watt, abc news, los angeles. >> and nick and david will be staying on this story throughout the night. but we move next here to the great blizzard, gathering strength and poised to break bear down on millions of american families across the northeast. experts say it could be the worst snowstorm in a century. our extreme weather team is on the storm front and abc's

meteorologist ginger zee is out where the storm is about to move in. ginger? >> reporter: diane, this may look like a mountain of snow, but it's not. this is 100,000 tons of salt that i'm standing on. i've got some right here in my hand. it is one of so many tools that millions of americans will use as we prepare for this major winter storm. from new york to boston, the winter weather arsenals are prepped and ready for blizzard war. and those in charge of the snowy battle are keeping their commands simple. >> stay off the streets of our city. basically, stay home. >> reporter: in a chaotic salem, massachusetts, supermarket, the fire department was called in because there were just too many people stocking up. what did you get? >> all the provisions, the junk food, the real food. the water. >> reporter: here's how it all goes down. a storm slamming the great lakes now will join forces with another one from the south, and combined, it forms a monster nor'easter that will sit and

spin just off the coast. and then there's the wind. wind gusts will reach 50 to 60 miles per hour from philadelphia to boston. >> we have more than 250,000 tons of salt on hand. our sanitation workers will work split 12-hour shifts, starting at 7:00 p.m. >> reporter: they'll need it. new york has 6,300 miles of streets to plow. that's like going from new york city to los angeles and back. wind and tons of snow is the last thing they need in new york city, where folks in staten island are still using tents after superstorm sandy. >> hopefully we can supply them with enough food, hot food, you know, to get them through, you know, before the storm starts. >> reporter: this storm comes 35 years after the historic blizzard of 1978. two feet of snow and 70 plus -mile-per-hour winds paralyzed the northeast. what you're looking at are 50-foot tall cliffs of salt.

it's really impressive out here. and they expect another 60,000 tons to be delivered tomorrow morning, before the storm. what i expect is to be using these tomorrow at this time, because -- they're ski goggles, i'll need them, with all the wind and snow. diane? >> a blizzard that fierce. thank you, ginger. and now, abc's weather editor sam champion is here. so, sam, what about the conditions? going to need goggles for this blizzard? >> reporter: absolutely. because it is blizzard. it's the worst word we can pull out in a winter storm, diane. it's brutal, blowing, blinding snow. whiteout conditions. we have warnings out for seven states here. basically stretches from new york all the way through boston and well into portland. if you look at all the states, that's about 43 million people involved in the path of that storm. and with this, we're talking about, well, to get a blizzard, you got to have 35-mile-an-hour winds and that blowing snow for at least three hours. we're going to have winds much worse than that. >> worse than 35 miles per hour? >> reporter: yeah. there are hurricane-force wind warnings just offshore from long island all the way off the coast of rhode island and off the coast of cape cod, as well.

so, we're going to have 50, 60, 70-mile-an-hour winds in this storm. it's going to be just terrible conditions. >> and want to guess about the snow totals at this point? >> reporter: at this point, a lot of it is a big guess. this is the kind of snow that will shut down cities. a lot of people involved in this. right now is 10 to 14-inch snowfall amount, looking for maybe a foot around new york city. boston will see some of the worst conditions with 18 to 24 inches of snow. but we do feel like in massachusetts, vermont and on into maine, an inland area, diane, that comes in with that wind, that 50-mile-an-hour wind, and more than two feet of snow by the time we're done with "world news" on saturday night. >> all right. going to be a big day for you tomorrow. for all of us. thank you, sam. and today in washington, the man at the very center of america's secret war on terrorism appeared in front of the cameras. defending the use of drones and their controversial target. john brennan answered his critics today and abc's chief white house correspondent jonathan karl was there.

>> i am honored to appear before you today -- >> reporter: even before he could introduce himself, the president's choice to run the cia was repeatedly interrupted by anti-war protesters. >> please clear the room. please remove -- >> reporter: it was a rare public appearance for a man who works in a windowless basement office of the white house. an architect of the president's war on terror, especially the rapid expansion of those cia drone strikes. it's largely been a secret war, but brennan promised to at least tell congress every time the cia targets and kills suspected terrorists. >> if i were to go to cia and the cia was involved in any type of lethal activity, i would damn well make sure this committee had that information. absolutely. >> reporter: brennan refused to confirm that the u.s. was behind the 2011 strike that killed an american citizen, al qaeda leader, anwar al awlaki, born in new mexico. but he forcefully defended making him a target. >> before he died, he was intimately involved in

activities that were designed to kill innocent men, women and children and mostly americans. he was determined to do that. >> reporter: critics say the administration has relied so heavily on targeted killings that they don't even try to capture terrorists anymore. brennan said that's not true. >> there's not been an occasion that i'm aware of where we had the opportunity to capture a terrorist and we didn't. and we decided to take a lethal strike. >> reporter: the drone strikes have also come under intense criticism for killing innocent bystanders, something the u.s. has never specifically acknowledged. >> i believe we need to acknowledge it. we need to acknowledge it publicly. >> reporter: brennan isn't done yet. he still faces a closed door classified hearing next week on the cia's most secret programs. jonathan karl, abc news, the white house. and there's a big move under way tonight, two u.s. airline goliaths, a report today of a mega merger between american airlines and us air. one source close to the

negotiation says the airlines are close to a deal, but there are details to be worked out. no announcement is likely until next week. and if approved, the merger would create the largest airline in the world. and still ahead here on "world news," with air fares already on the rise, our real money team to the rescue of one family, planning a spring vacation. what time of day you book could save you real money, did you know that? next. [ male announcer] surprise -- you're having triplets.

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if you experience a sudden decrease or loss in vision or hearing. this is the age of taking action. viagra. talk to your doctor. we just told you about the possibility of a big merger in the airline industry. and already, american families are trying to plan spring vacations. so, we wondered, if there are any new ways to make sure you're getting the cheapest possible tickets for travel. turns out, there are. and abc's paula faris shows us how to save real money. >> reporter: airline mergers can mean good news for consumers. you'll probably be flying on a newer aircraft. the bad news? with less competition, air fares can climb. >> just over the last three years, air fare has risen as much as 20%. >> reporter: rising fares are very much on the mind of the rodriguez family today. madeline and her three sons and daughter, hoping to fly from honolulu to ontario, california, for a family reunion and looking

at nearly $1,000 a ticket. >> it's just too much. paula -- i need your help! >> reporter: so, we asked abcnews.com's travel expert genevieve shaw-brown for help. first tip, the rodriguez family is better off buying two tickets and then the remaining three tickets separately. finding all five seats together can cost you more for the convenience of sitting together. you have to be willing to break up the family, potentially. >> right. >> reporter: tip number two. we've heard over and over that it's best to fly on wednesday, the least popular day to travel. but when's best to book? turns out it's tuesdays at 3:00 p.m. >> that's when the airlines typically release their sale fares. so, they tend to load their systems around that time. >> reporter: tip number three. use sites like hipmunk.com and kayak.com, which alert you of any drops in fare. but buy your ticket directly with the airline, often cheaper than the middleman. >> the airline is paying $10 and $25 commission. so, it is really in their best

interest to get people to book on their own site. they do it through promo codes. they offer deals through facebook and twitter. >> reporter: and finally, be flexible. the rodriguezes were looking to fly with a layover to ontario, california. we found them a non-stop flight to los angeles, just 60 miles away, for almost $2,000 less. >> so, maybe i will be able to make that family reunion. and that's real money. >> reporter: now, most airlines will give you a voucher or credit if your fare goes down after you book the ticket. some, however are going to hit you with a change fee. if you don't have time to monitor, there are websites alerting you if your fare drops after booking. we have more on our website, diane. >> great to see you and your real money, paula. and talk about a vacation memory. coming up, a close encounter of a large kind. a whale of a story in our "instant index," next. this is america.

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and stuart freeborn was 98. as yoda might have said of us, sad, we are tonight. and a different kind of memorable encounter. this one, off the coast of maui. take a look now. a couple is canoeing in calm waters, and then, watch and listen. >> oh, my -- wow! >> it was a sneak attack by a humpback whale. and it's being called a love tap. a kind of "hello there" in mating season. and even whales can dream on valentine's day. and a date we're all circling in red on our calendars. february 20th. it's when our friend robin roberts will make her return to the anchor desk on "good morning america." five months to the day after her bone marrow transplant. as you know, she's been checking in behind the scenes at "gma" and said today how thankful she is for all your prayers, adding,

she'll see us all soon. counting the minutes, rob. coming up here, a star is born at a walmart checkout counter. why does a coal miner's granddaughter have thousands of people playing her song tonight? people playing her song let's say ur guy around 2% to manage your money. that's not much you think. except it's 2% every year. does that make a difference? search "cost of financial advisors" ouch. over time it really adds up. then go to e-trade and find out how much our advice costs. spoiler alert: it's low. really? yes, really. e-trade offers investment advice and guidance from dedicated, professional financial consultants. it's guidance on your terms, not ours. that's how our system works. e-trade. less for us. more for you. can be the worst part. my medicine alone doesn't always give me all the congestion relief i need to sleep. [ female announcer ] adding breathe right nasal strips can make all the difference.

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>> reporter: she's proof there's big talent in small places. 21-year-old kayla sloan was toiling away in the checkout lane at this walmart in west virginia, when a customer noticed her singing a tune, and then pulled out an iphone to record the magic. little did she know the video would catch fire on the internet. this is coal mining country. her husband's a coal miner, her grandfather, too. and today, she's told us she's had big dreams for years, but never thought there's any chance they could come true. >> i never thought that it would make it that far. i honestly thought that you know, people would see me and enjoy it, but as far as it making it that far, i never even dreamed. i'm hoping to be on the grand ole opry. ♪ take the ribbons from my hair ♪ >> reporter: when she was 15, she and her brother cobbled together what little they had to record this homemade album that no one heard. but now she's a hit. at least in the mountains.

and certainly at the walmart she calls her second home. ♪ we were poor ♪ but we had love ♪ that's the one thing my daddy made sure of ♪ i've actually had people come through my line and they're like, "can i have your autograph?" or "will you sing me a song?" and i start singing. >> reba? >> reba! ♪ lord, forgive me for what i do ♪ ♪ you want him ♪ well, it's up to you >> reporter: she now sings at her register, in the break room and underneath the valentine's day balloons that are for sale. she says she'll never give up, no matter how small the stage. steve osunsami, abc news, atlanta. >> but who knows who's out there listening. and, by the way, she says she has been singing since she was 3 years old. thank you so much for watching tonight. we're always working for you at abcnews.com. "nightline" will be here later at its new time, 12:35 a.m. eastern. and i'll see you right back here again tomorrow night. good night.

abc 7 news tonight the drowning of a man in a public beach. >> we're live tonight with developing news on hunt for excop on a shooting rampage they've found the get away truck he was driving. >> celebrating completion of the new bay bridge a plan to spend millions to you can walk it before you drive it. >> my conversation with two local police chiefs who take the fight against crime personally them tell me they can do better. when a man tried to drown himself local rescuers say they were not properly trained to save him. the city claims they didn't have to try. good evening, everyone.

>> they said at the time they just weren't certify forward a water rescue. it's part of the city's defense against a lawsuit filed by the dead man's brother at crown beach on memorial day in 2011. alan wong is here with the hearing that took place today. >> yes. the city says that if it's firefighters certificate tied it's not their duty to prevent people from ryeing to commit suicide that. is why it's wants the lawsuit thrown out. when the man wandered into the waters of crown beach, onlookers wondered why police stood by as the man drowned. >> in court, the attorney said it was not their duty to

prevent zach from committing suicide. >> the law says officers are immune for actions unless going in to make the situation worse. >> attorneys for jack's brother say the fire department did make the situation worse. >> they cleared the beach. they stopped people from communicating with zach. stopped people from walking out to try to establish contact and try to talk to him. and to perhaps assist him. >> there is another reason why the fire department watched zach drown. budget constraints kept them from being recertified to carry out an ocean rescue. they refused to retrieve the body from the water. >> the duty established and citizens have an expectation. >> there is a political twist. the city was refusing to pay firefighters for extra time needed to recertify